# Shadow City: Blood & Neon tags: #game/rpg/shadow-city ![[Shadow City (cover).jpg]] If you’ve ever looked at _[[Vampire - the Masquerade|Vampire: the Masquerade]]_ and thought, "This has far too many feelings and not enough spreadsheet-free violence," then _Shadow City: Blood & Neon_ is your preferred brand of poison. Created by Greg Christopher (the "Chubby Funster"), this is a 1980s-soaked, gothic-punk RPG that transplants the undead into the fast-and-loose framework of _[[Shadowdark]]_. It’s a world where you’re a predator in a tracksuit, struggling to pay rent while your humanity slowly evaporates under the flicker of neon lights. The game trades dense metaplot for OSR-style lethality; here, "politics" usually involves a shotgun and a disagreement over who controls the local arcade. ## Core Die Resolution Mechanics The game leans heavily on the _Shadowdark_ chassis, which means if you’ve rolled a d20 in the last forty years, you’re already over-qualified. - **The Standard Check:** Most actions are resolved by rolling a **d20**, adding the relevant ability modifier, and attempting to meet or exceed a **Difficulty Class (DC)** set by the GM. It’s binary, brutal, and doesn't care about your character's tragic backstory. - **Advantage and Disadvantage:** In keeping with modern sensibilities, you’ll frequently roll two d20s. Take the high one if the stars align (Advantage) or the low one if you’ve predictably bungled the situation (Disadvantage). - **The Blood Economy:** Being a vampire isn't free. Using your supernatural **Disciplines** costs **Blood Points**. Unlike other games where "hunger" is a narrative prompt for a brooding monologue, here it’s a mechanical countdown. If you run out of juice, you’re just a very pale corpse with no friends. - **Lethality and XP:** In a move that will satisfy any cynical mercenary, Experience Points (XP) are primarily awarded for **acquiring valuables**. Whether you steal it, take it by force, or "convince" someone to hand it over, your progression is tied directly to your ability to fund your unlife. ## Editions and Variations The primary version is _Shadow City: Blood & Neon_, released in 2025 following a successful Kickstarter. It serves as a standalone core book. While it is technically a "third-party" product for _Shadowdark_, it is designed to be a complete experience. There are no "previous editions" in the traditional sense, though it evolved from the creator's earlier experiments in blending urban horror with OSR mechanics. The physical editions include a standard softcover and a "Deluxe" hardcover, though the internal rules remain identical—only the exterior's ability to stop a bullet varies. ## References - [ShadowCity: Blood and Neon - DriveThruRPG](https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/521203/shadowcity-blood-and-neon) - [Shadow City Kickstarter Page - Kickstarter](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chubbyfunster/shadowcity-blood-and-neon) - [ShadowCity Discussion and News - Reddit (r/osr)](https://www.reddit.com/r/shadowdark/comments/1md8v8f/shadowcity/)